Utilize Signs Throughout the Retail Outlet
Content
* Utilize signs throughout the retail outlet * Place whole goods at eye level * Place accessories below the whole goods * Have an attractive entrance to your retail * Design your counters and displays so that customers can move through your retail according to where you want them to go * Have the staple merchandise in the rear of the retail * Have add-on sale items with most of your displays * Display impulse items throughout the retail * Display a season ahead to invite customers to return * Use music, smell and display to invite customers to continue shopping * Have related items facing each other * Use color in your retail
Visual merchandising is showing merchandise and concepts at their very best, with the end purpose of making a sale. Visual merchandising techniques in the market are subtle, aesthetically appealing yeteconomical.This article aims at identifying the macro trends of visual merchandising that are prevalent in larger formats like hypermarkets in the market. The article covers several categories of products which are available in a hypermarket and extends a keen eye to the fixtures, displays, lighting, signage, music etc. The article is based on a study spans over stores like Hypercity, Spencers Hypermarket, Star Bazaar, Big Bazaar, Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle, Westside, Homestop, Home Centre, Home Bazaar, Ezone, Tata Croma. The article tries to identify trends by studying stores with comparable categories like Fashion, Food, Furniture, Fruits and Vegetables, Non-food, Hi-Tech & Appliance & Multimedia etc.In categories like fashion, food, non-food etc. the most common fixture is Gondola which is used in most categories with modifications. Browsers are used incase of fashion and most browsers stock merchandise on a slightly higher side in numbers than its actual capacity. Thus, the common practice is to use capacity fixtures to stock and showcase merchandise. Gondolas used for food, non-food are mostly of metal make and are top lit. Many fixtures are customized according to the store type and are combinations of Gonodlas, Browsers and Glass tops. Displays is a technique of showcasing merchandise by putting them in a fashion which is aesthetically appealing and at the same time is able to convey a story line. Displays are done using mannequins and other props. Cross and complimentary merchandising techniques are used to make the displays attractive yet effective. VM starts with the merchandise itself and not with the decoration. The main issue is to make the merchandise extremely attractive, exciting and enticing, stimulating the buyer¶s appetite and finally resulting in the decision to buy. Effective visual merchandising can directly affect the bottom line of any retailer by: 1. Maximising walk-ins
2. Increasing sales conversion 3. Increasing average customer billing amount 4. Insuring higher recall value in the mind of the consumer and hence creating a loyal and everexpanding base of customers.
Here are four display basics to be considered for designing a visual presentation: 1. Colour and texture 2. Line and composition 3. Lights and lighting 4. Types of display and display settings
Colour Colour is the biggest motivation for shopping. People buy colour before they buy size, fit or price. People also react to the colours around the merchandise being considered. Colours are often selected for the amount of contrast they provide. The Colour Marketing Group (CMG) consists of colour specialists from most industries for which colour is a major factor in what is manufactured. The group serves as a guide, forecasts directions and indicated colour trends well enough in advance so that the information can be integrated into design and production schedules. Lines Line is a direction. It is the second most important element after colour in creating a response to the merchandise in display. It is known that each line suggests something else and as letters are combined to form words, lines are arranged to make selling µpictures¶. A straight line can be direct and forceful or rigid and precise. Long, low, wide, spreading lines suggest an easy going, restful quality. The diagonal line is the line of action; it is forceful, strong, and dynamic.
Light
Effective lighting can grab instant attention and facilitate the creation of that favourable first impression of the merchandise and its surroundings. Just as colour creates the emotional connection with the customer, light reinforces this emotional connection by bringing the desired colours to life. When manipulated rightly, light creates the desired emotion like the feeling of warmth, of clarity, of curiosity, of wonder, mystery and even amazement. Good lighting can guide the customers' eyes; reveal the colour and form of the merchandise.
Typesof display The primary purposes of displays are to present and promote. A display is at its best when it simply shows a colour, an item, a collection or just an idea. Displays can be of the following four types:
One-item display: The showing and advancement of a single garment or any single item. It might be a gown designed by a top designer, a one of a kind ceramic or jewellery or a new automobile.
Line-of-goods display: Shows only one type of merchandise e.g. all skirts, all pants, all chairs; although they maybe in a variety of designs or colours.
Related merchandise display: Separates, accessories or other items that go together may be displayed as they are meant to be together because either they are the same colour or they share an idea or a theme.
Variety or assortment display: It is a mix of anything and everything. It is a collection of unrelated items that happen to be sold in the same store.
Display settings In the presentation of a display, there are some basic steps to set the scene for the merchandise or the concept to be sold. These display settings largely influence your perception and relation to the product and the brand displayed. They therefore directly influence the pricing and consequently the profitability of the product being sold. For example, similar products when displayed in large numbers diminish exclusivity and when displayed in lesser number increase
the exclusivity and therefore the perceived value of the product. Hence, in the domain of display settings, less could mean more.
For a visual merchandiser the challenge is to make the retail space highly customer friendly so that a client can spend maximum time in the given retail space, likely making a wise buying decision. In order to achieve these standards, the visual merchandiser has to look very deeply into the psychology of the customers as well as the walkers-by. Research on how customers move through a store and what they see, shows that there are certain hot spots and locations in a shop that catch the customer¶s eye first. Putting up communications will help stimulate purchases, especially impulse sales. As I see, VM is perched on this fine line between art and science. It demands the rigors and method of science and the inspired imagination of art. Both of these combined and when in harmony, give it the power to change our lives by changing what we buy, where we buy and why we buy.
Still in it is infancy in India; visual merchandising is set to grow with the rapidly changing retail scenario. As more and more brands come into the country, the fight for the consumer¶s mindspace is going to be like never before. Eventually, it is the visual merchandiser who is going to help win this battle for the consumer¶s wallet. As brands learn to add value through product differentiation and thrive to give customers the perfect shopping experience, VM in India too, shall have its due. Tools used for visual merchandising All the elements of the store can play a role when it comes to creating a visual impact on the consumer. Apart from using the products to make a visual impact on the consumer some of the commonly used ones are: 1) Colors & Textures 2) Fixtures and merchandisers presentation 3) Signages 4) Windows 5) Props 6) Lighting 7) Mannequins Two of the main tools, viz., colors and mannequins are covered in this section. Colors & Textures Color increase brand recognition by up to 80 per cent. Color improves readership as much as 40 per cent. Color accelerates learning from 55 to 78 percent. Color increases comprehension by 73 per cent. Color advertisements are read up to 42 percent more
than similar ones in black and white. Color can be up to 85 per cent of the reason people decide to buy. In the 1920¶s Itten, who is affiliated with the German Bauhus movement, developed the color star that included 12 colors, which include 3 primary Colors, 3 secondary Colors and 6 Tertiary Colors. Texture deals with the look and feel of materials. Visual texture is the result of light refracted from any surface. Tactile texture can be rough smooth, thick, thin, sandy, soft, hard warty, coarse, fine regular or irregular. The combination of visual and tactile texture provides a definite interpretation of all items and materials encountered. Mannequins The word mannequin comes from the Dutch word Manneken, literally meaning little man. Mannequin is the French form. Mannequins are typically used in a retail store environment to display the merchandise. There are many types of mannequins available, the most common type is the life size mannequin. These mannequins are the same size as a real person and have arms, legs, hands, feet and a head. Mannequins can look like males, females or children. Other mannequins consist of only a torso on a stand. The Planogram A planogram is a tool used by the retailer that helps determine the location of merchandise within a department. It is a diagram that visually communicates how merchandise and props physically fit onto a store fixture or window to allow for proper visibility and price point options. A planogram is created after taking into account factors like products sales, the movement of the products within the product category and the space required for various products. They usually list the exact number of square feet used for various products and the exact number of product to be displayed in a particular area. For retailer who has a number of stores spread over various locations, a planogram is a good way to communicating how displays are to be done. This allows consistency in presentation across locations. When products are presented in the same manner across locations, the customers feels familiar and comfortable at each location. This helps to build brand loyalty and customer trust.
Here is a list of visual merchandising and display supplies every store should have on hand: y y y y y Calendar listing of all holidays and special occasions Duct tape Fishing line Glass cleaner Hammer
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
Hot glue gun Hot glue sticks Iron with board or steamer Ladder Light bulbs (extras) Nails and screws (assorted) Pencils and sharpener Rubber bands Scissors Screwdrivers, flat tip and phillips head Straight dress pins Tape measure Tool box Two-faced tape Utility/ razor knife Velcro strips Wire Yellow pages
Visual merchandising is showing merchandise and concepts at their very best, with the end purpose of making a sale. Visual merchandising techniques in the market are subtle, aesthetically appealing yeteconomical.This article aims at identifying the macro trends of visual merchandising that are prevalent in larger formats like hypermarkets in the market. The article covers several categories of products which are available in a hypermarket and extends a keen eye to the fixtures, displays, lighting, signage, music etc. The article is based on a study spans over stores like Hypercity, Spencers Hypermarket, Star Bazaar, Big Bazaar, Shoppers Stop, Lifestyle, Westside, Homestop, Home Centre, Home Bazaar, Ezone, Tata Croma. The article tries to identify trends by studying stores with comparable categories like Fashion, Food, Furniture, Fruits and Vegetables, Non-food, Hi-Tech & Appliance & Multimedia etc.In categories like fashion, food, non-food etc. the most common fixture is Gondola which is used in most categories with modifications. Browsers are used incase of fashion and most browsers stock merchandise on a slightly higher side in numbers than its actual capacity. Thus, the common practice is to use capacity fixtures to stock and showcase merchandise. Gondolas used for food, non-food are mostly of metal make and are top lit. Many fixtures are customized according to the store type and are combinations of Gonodlas, Browsers and Glass tops. Displays is a technique of showcasing merchandise by putting them in a fashion which is aesthetically appealing and at the same time is able to convey a story line. Displays are done using mannequins and other props. Cross and complimentary merchandising techniques are used to make the displays attractive yet effective. VM starts with the merchandise itself and not with the decoration. The main issue is to make the merchandise extremely attractive, exciting and enticing, stimulating the buyer¶s appetite and finally resulting in the decision to buy. Effective visual merchandising can directly affect the bottom line of any retailer by: 1. Maximising walk-ins
2. Increasing sales conversion 3. Increasing average customer billing amount 4. Insuring higher recall value in the mind of the consumer and hence creating a loyal and everexpanding base of customers.
Here are four display basics to be considered for designing a visual presentation: 1. Colour and texture 2. Line and composition 3. Lights and lighting 4. Types of display and display settings
Colour Colour is the biggest motivation for shopping. People buy colour before they buy size, fit or price. People also react to the colours around the merchandise being considered. Colours are often selected for the amount of contrast they provide. The Colour Marketing Group (CMG) consists of colour specialists from most industries for which colour is a major factor in what is manufactured. The group serves as a guide, forecasts directions and indicated colour trends well enough in advance so that the information can be integrated into design and production schedules. Lines Line is a direction. It is the second most important element after colour in creating a response to the merchandise in display. It is known that each line suggests something else and as letters are combined to form words, lines are arranged to make selling µpictures¶. A straight line can be direct and forceful or rigid and precise. Long, low, wide, spreading lines suggest an easy going, restful quality. The diagonal line is the line of action; it is forceful, strong, and dynamic.
Light
Effective lighting can grab instant attention and facilitate the creation of that favourable first impression of the merchandise and its surroundings. Just as colour creates the emotional connection with the customer, light reinforces this emotional connection by bringing the desired colours to life. When manipulated rightly, light creates the desired emotion like the feeling of warmth, of clarity, of curiosity, of wonder, mystery and even amazement. Good lighting can guide the customers' eyes; reveal the colour and form of the merchandise.
Typesof display The primary purposes of displays are to present and promote. A display is at its best when it simply shows a colour, an item, a collection or just an idea. Displays can be of the following four types:
One-item display: The showing and advancement of a single garment or any single item. It might be a gown designed by a top designer, a one of a kind ceramic or jewellery or a new automobile.
Line-of-goods display: Shows only one type of merchandise e.g. all skirts, all pants, all chairs; although they maybe in a variety of designs or colours.
Related merchandise display: Separates, accessories or other items that go together may be displayed as they are meant to be together because either they are the same colour or they share an idea or a theme.
Variety or assortment display: It is a mix of anything and everything. It is a collection of unrelated items that happen to be sold in the same store.
Display settings In the presentation of a display, there are some basic steps to set the scene for the merchandise or the concept to be sold. These display settings largely influence your perception and relation to the product and the brand displayed. They therefore directly influence the pricing and consequently the profitability of the product being sold. For example, similar products when displayed in large numbers diminish exclusivity and when displayed in lesser number increase
the exclusivity and therefore the perceived value of the product. Hence, in the domain of display settings, less could mean more.
For a visual merchandiser the challenge is to make the retail space highly customer friendly so that a client can spend maximum time in the given retail space, likely making a wise buying decision. In order to achieve these standards, the visual merchandiser has to look very deeply into the psychology of the customers as well as the walkers-by. Research on how customers move through a store and what they see, shows that there are certain hot spots and locations in a shop that catch the customer¶s eye first. Putting up communications will help stimulate purchases, especially impulse sales. As I see, VM is perched on this fine line between art and science. It demands the rigors and method of science and the inspired imagination of art. Both of these combined and when in harmony, give it the power to change our lives by changing what we buy, where we buy and why we buy.
Still in it is infancy in India; visual merchandising is set to grow with the rapidly changing retail scenario. As more and more brands come into the country, the fight for the consumer¶s mindspace is going to be like never before. Eventually, it is the visual merchandiser who is going to help win this battle for the consumer¶s wallet. As brands learn to add value through product differentiation and thrive to give customers the perfect shopping experience, VM in India too, shall have its due. Tools used for visual merchandising All the elements of the store can play a role when it comes to creating a visual impact on the consumer. Apart from using the products to make a visual impact on the consumer some of the commonly used ones are: 1) Colors & Textures 2) Fixtures and merchandisers presentation 3) Signages 4) Windows 5) Props 6) Lighting 7) Mannequins Two of the main tools, viz., colors and mannequins are covered in this section. Colors & Textures Color increase brand recognition by up to 80 per cent. Color improves readership as much as 40 per cent. Color accelerates learning from 55 to 78 percent. Color increases comprehension by 73 per cent. Color advertisements are read up to 42 percent more
than similar ones in black and white. Color can be up to 85 per cent of the reason people decide to buy. In the 1920¶s Itten, who is affiliated with the German Bauhus movement, developed the color star that included 12 colors, which include 3 primary Colors, 3 secondary Colors and 6 Tertiary Colors. Texture deals with the look and feel of materials. Visual texture is the result of light refracted from any surface. Tactile texture can be rough smooth, thick, thin, sandy, soft, hard warty, coarse, fine regular or irregular. The combination of visual and tactile texture provides a definite interpretation of all items and materials encountered. Mannequins The word mannequin comes from the Dutch word Manneken, literally meaning little man. Mannequin is the French form. Mannequins are typically used in a retail store environment to display the merchandise. There are many types of mannequins available, the most common type is the life size mannequin. These mannequins are the same size as a real person and have arms, legs, hands, feet and a head. Mannequins can look like males, females or children. Other mannequins consist of only a torso on a stand. The Planogram A planogram is a tool used by the retailer that helps determine the location of merchandise within a department. It is a diagram that visually communicates how merchandise and props physically fit onto a store fixture or window to allow for proper visibility and price point options. A planogram is created after taking into account factors like products sales, the movement of the products within the product category and the space required for various products. They usually list the exact number of square feet used for various products and the exact number of product to be displayed in a particular area. For retailer who has a number of stores spread over various locations, a planogram is a good way to communicating how displays are to be done. This allows consistency in presentation across locations. When products are presented in the same manner across locations, the customers feels familiar and comfortable at each location. This helps to build brand loyalty and customer trust.
Here is a list of visual merchandising and display supplies every store should have on hand: y y y y y Calendar listing of all holidays and special occasions Duct tape Fishing line Glass cleaner Hammer
y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y y
Hot glue gun Hot glue sticks Iron with board or steamer Ladder Light bulbs (extras) Nails and screws (assorted) Pencils and sharpener Rubber bands Scissors Screwdrivers, flat tip and phillips head Straight dress pins Tape measure Tool box Two-faced tape Utility/ razor knife Velcro strips Wire Yellow pages
